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Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Marianne Faithfull Claims Ex-Boyfriend Killed Jim Morrison

In a new interview with MOJO, Marianne Faithfull has said that her former lover, heroin dealer Jean de Breteuil, was behind the Doors singer Jim Morrison's death, though she says it was "accidental."

Faithfull recalls travelling to Paris with de Breteuil, but staying at their hotel while he went to visit Morrison at his apartment.

"I could intuitively feel trouble," said Faithfull. "I thought, I'll take a few Tuinal [barbiturates] and I won't be there. And he went to see Jim Morrison and killed him. I mean I'm sure it was an accident. Poor bastard. The smack was too strong? Yeah. And he died. And I didn't know anything about this. Anyway, everybody connected to the death of this poor guy is dead now. Except me."

Morrison died at the age of 27, on July 3, 1971.

In the same interview, Faithfull also spoke about the death of Amy Winehouse, saying the late pop star was “wary” of her, because she knew about her substance abuse. "Amy was very, very wary of me. She knew that I knew and she didn't want me to say anything. There's a level of narcissism which is all mixed up with self-hatred. I know it well. It's like a glass wall between you and the world, so that all the love that everybody pours onto you, you don't feel it. But I can't think what I could have done apart from take her and shake her! 'You stupid little cunt! Wake up!'"

Nick Cave, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters and Anna Calvi are amongst those who've penned music for Marianne Faithfull's new album. Give My Love To London will be released on September 29 and features lyrics by Faithfull and music from a host of guest artists, also including Pat Leonard, Tom McRae and Steve Earle.

On the record, Faithfull will be backed by guest musicians Warren Ellis and Jim Sclavunos of Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds as well as Portishead's Adrian Utley on guitar, keyboards from Ed Harcourt, Rob Ellis on drums, Dimitri Tikovoi on bass, and a string quartet. The album has been produced by Rob Ellis and Dimitri Tikovoi and mixed by Flood.

Marianne Faithfull will start a year-long world tour this autumn, playing London Royal Festival Hall on November 29.